The Fontainebleau's sushi restaurant,
Blade, has made a return; but this time it's rooming with Vida.
The space isn't thoroughly spliced yet. The frosted glass walls are on their way for installation, but executive chef Thomas Connell is quick to discuss plans for an
overhauled brunch that will bring improvement to both restaurants. These are two of the Fontainebleau's
casual eateries, offering yet more choices for guests of the hotel.
Blade's menu, provided by chefs Yoshiro Kamago, Deden "Benny" Bandi, and Diego Ng, is simple. There are appetizers, sushi rolls, specialty rolls, sushi, and sashimi ($8 to $14 or market price). However, there are some surprisingly creative and unique offerings.
Off the appetizer portion of the menu,
the octopus carpaccio ($20) is large enough for two. Thin slices of the mollusk are complemented by sweet pepper,
tomato, red onion, cucumber, and spicy vinegar dressing. Jalapeño
peppers add a nice kick. The octopus isn't rubbery or tough.
The tuna tataki ($18)
with ponzu sauce is delightful and well balanced. The ponzu sauce is
rich and boasts a perfect citrus balance.
Of the specialty rolls, a favorite is
definitely the lobster ($22) with cucumber, mayonnaise, masago,
avocado, tempura flakes, and eel sauce. It's sweet and a little salty,
and features just the right amount of lobster. The textures are vivid,
with the cucumber crisp and the sprinkling of tempura
flakes ample. Yes, it contains lobster, but $22 for a roll is a bit
steep.
The naruto maki ($18) is salmon, crabmeat, masago, scallion, radish sprouts, and avocado in a tangy cucumber dressing. This roll, which has no rice, is beautifully crafted, so you're
paying for presentation.
The most interesting dish is the eponymous Blade roll ($12), with marinated salmon, fresh
mozzarella, spicy mayonnaise, and fried garlic. The salmon is quite thin, but the overall taste is unique and unexpected, plus the price is right.
The ambiance is just fine once you're
seated. It doesn't matter whether the folks dining 30 feet from
you are eating rotisserie chicken while you're sipping sake ($49 to $142 per bottle) -- the environment doesn't suffer. And just like
rooming with a sibling who has different tastes, there's potential for disaster, but overall it should be an amicable
arrangement.
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